Gone, gone, gone
by Bunnyhoppp
Summary: It had been three days. Seventy two painfully long and agony filled hours and Sakura spent all of them, except five, staring out that window. When what she was waiting for finally shows up her throat closes and her world shatters like glass. Naruto and dead do not go sensible in a sentence together. One-shot.


So, I've decided to do a one shot. This is my first one ever so don't be mean! Even if it sucks! I just needed to take my mind off my other stories and type this up quickly so I could let my mind wander for a bit. It felt great and now I'm ready to speed write! ^.^

Enjoy!

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_I'm about to lose my mind,_

_You've been gone for so long._

_I'm running out of time…_

"Sakura." Her name rang out loudly in the cold room. She promptly ignored it. It wasn't his voice, so she didn't care. She would know if it was him, she would feel him before he could come close to the room she stood still in. She would even see him before he entered the Village. From where she was looking out the window, she had a perfect view of the road right before the Village Entrance. "Sakura." Someone called her name again. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? Did they not understand how hard this was for her? They must think that they're hurting too, but no. None of them could even fathom how she was feeling right then. It was too much for her. She wanted someone to pull her out of it, but only he could. "Sakura, please." Now they were begging. If she had a cold heart, she would of kept ignoring them, but she couldn't even force herself to do that.

"What?" Her own voice sounded foreign to her. She hadn't spoken one word since he left three days ago. The only places she had gone were back to her apartment and she came right back to the window when she woke up. Barley taking time to shower or even brush her hair.

"You should get some sleep." Tsunade suggested, rubbing sleep out of her eyes and watching her pupil stare aimlessly out the window. Sakura ignored her yet again. It was late at night, near daylight, but Sakura refused to go home and sleep. She had popped a soldier pill in her mouth the last time Tsunade had asked her to go home. That was twelve hours ago. "If he comes back, then you'll be the first to know-"

"No, I won't." Sakura cut her off and Tsunade watched her curiously. Never had Sakura interrupted her nor had she ever refused an order. Tsunade knew this was way more important than anything, but she needed her pupil just in case he did come back and was in need of medical attention. "The people at the gate will know first. Then you. Then the Hospital. While I'm wasting my time running around my apartment. If I'm here, I'll see him first. I'll know." Sakura explained and Tsunade sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. If Sakura was one thing to death, it was stubborn. She shook her head and continued to go through the stacks and stacks of paper on her desk, yet she found it hard to concentrate too. Despite herself, Tsunade would find herself staring out the window like the pinkette, looking for him, her mind wandering to what could of happened. Eventually, she would snap herself out of that mind set and force herself to focus on her papers.

Sakura helplessly thought back to the time she spent as a Genin with her Team, how love sick and young she was. How irresponsible and how unorganized her priorities were. Maybe if she was a better student, something like this wouldn't of happened. But no, if it was anyone's fault, it was Sasuke's. Weak, weak Sasuke. He wasn't strong enough to think on his own and he let someone else manipulate him into turning the wrong way. Her mind wandered to the night he had left her and her stomach churned so painfully, she wanted to throw up. Why. Why! Why had she been so stupid? She could of screamed and ran back towards the village instead of spilling her heart out, thinking that that would make Sasuke want to stay. She could of fought Sasuke, sacrificing her own life to stop him. She could have been slightly useful, but no. She wasn't useful at all. Stupid girl. She despised herself.

She gently ran her fingers on the window glass, seeing droplets of rain start to fall from the sky and skip over the glass. Soon, it began to speed up and from there, it was pouring. She had to squint to still see the road, but it was hard, making her sigh. Maybe she should just go stand by the Gates until the rain stopped. Then she could see perfectly. Deciding that was a sound decision, she turned swiftly and walked out the room, ignoring Tsunade's calls of confusion. She had to hurry and get down there so she didn't miss anything.

It only took Sakura five minutes to reach the Gates and by then, she was soaked through her clothes, though her mind didn't register how cold she was or how sick she could get by being out here. She had barley eaten anything the past couple of days, her immune system was probably at it's lowest, but she didn't care. She had to wait for him. She didn't even let herself lean up against the Gates, she stood in the middle and watched the road carefully.

It seemed like hours upon hours had passed and she knew it was daytime now, but the dark clouds had yet to move, so it was still dark and dreary. Sakura still hadn't moved though. Rain pelted her frozen body, but she stared stonily ahead, not caring about anything. Not even herself. She allowed herself to close her eyes so she could cough or sneeze, occasionally blink, though she just stared at the road and waited. She knew he would come, he promised her he would come back alive and that when he got here, he would treat her to as many bowls of ramen as she wanted. Sakura's throat closed up tightly as she thought about his bright, shining blue eyes and his irresistible, devilish grin right before he left. He had been so sure. _So_ sure about this. She didn't doubt his power and determination, but she was afraid. She wanted to see him again. She _had to._

And then, there was something. Sakura couldn't believe it at first, she really couldn't, but as it came closer, details made themselves clear through the rain. She gasped, choking on the water from the sky and her own tongue, but her legs worked hard, pushing her forward.

"Naruto!?" She screamed, hoping. _Praying_ that that was him. She saw a tall figure carrying another and her heart speed up because she saw a mop of soaked, dark blonde hair. Her legs felt weak for a second, because she wanted to drop to her knees and cry, but she had to keep going. They were only a few feet away. "NARUTO!" She cried. Whoever was walking stopped and dropped to their knees and she could faintly hear them say something. "I'm coming Naruto! I'm coming!" Sakura assured the blonde, finally able to see the bodies clearly.

Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha. He was here. In the flesh, on his knees and weakly holding an unconscious blonde on his back. He looked ragged. His clothes were torn and there were deep gashes, clean from the rain, disfiguring his sculpted body that she had once so admired. Under his right eye was a clean cut, something Sakura knew she could heal in a matter of seconds, but his other wounds were worrying her. They looked like they had death written all over them.

Sakura finally reached them, skidding through the mud and helping Sasuke lay Naruto on the ground. He was equally as beat up, if not more. He was cut and bruised, blood slowly leaking and being washed away. He was white, near death, but Sakura knew she could bring him to full health. Tsunade could work on Sasuke and deal out any punishment to him and Sakura would use every ounce of her chakra to heal Naruto, so she could see him smile again. See his blue eyes and hear him laugh, calling her name.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke spat out in a choked up voice, putting his hands on the ground and shaking his head. Sakura looked at him, completely shocked. Was he crying? She grabbed his shoulders, pushing him back. Shakily, she brushed his heavy, wet bangs out his face and saw salty tears mixing with the rain. He shook his head again and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder. His arms snaked tightly around her, holding her close. "Don't hate me." He begged, sobbing, but trying to holding them back. His tears made her shoulder warm.

"Sasuke, I…" Finally, it struck her. He was apologizing about leaving. About abandoning her and leaving her all alone. Maybe Naruto really had beat sense into him like he said he would. But this…all this crying and Sasuke being upset, was so unlike him. Sakura rubbed his back frantically, wanting him to calm down and listen to her. He had to know that she didn't care anymore. That he was back and that's all that mattered. "No, don't cry." She whispered gently, then her voice grew. "It's okay, I forgive you Sasuke. I'm upset about you leaving, but it's alright. You're back now, okay and-"

"Open your eyes Sakura!" Sasuke screamed, backing up from her and looking angry, tears still streaming down his pale face. While she was speaking, he kept squeezing her tighter and tighter, but she thought it was from him being happy and not mad. "Can't you see?" His voice broke and he looked down at Naruto's body next to them. Sakura stared at the Uchiha for a moment, before dragging her eyes down to the usually tan blonde. She had noticed he was white, but now, he looked snow like, his lips a faint blue color. She blinked a couple times. No…no, he couldn't…he had… "I'm not apologizing for leaving the Village, Sakura. I'm apologizing, because…because he's dead. Okay?! I killed him!" Those words shook Sakura to the core and she began shaking her head. If Naruto was dead, she would know. She would've known the second it happened.

"I can…I can bring him back, I'm…I'm the best…medical…Tsunade…" Her voice was trailing off, not able to speak anymore, because her brain was shutting down. Naruto and dead did not go sensible in a sentence together. It just couldn't happen. He would always be there for her. He had always been there for her. Helping her, saving her, laughing with her, crying with her, he was the only one who understood her pain. He thought about her and loved her every second and she loved him for that. So no. He couldn't be dead. No. NO.

"Sakura," Sasuke cupped Sakura's face, turning her towards him, but her eyes stayed glued on Naruto's frozen body. "I have to tell you something, he told me to tell you something." Slowly, agonizingly slow, Sakura peeled her eyes from Naruto and focused on Sasuke's eyes, completely filled with raw emotion. More emotion she had ever seen from him. Her lips parted and she wanted to say something, but nothing escaped. "He told me to tell you that he loves you Sakura and that…" Sasuke was groping for the blonde's last words. "That…that even if he's not here in the flesh to protect you, he'll be watching over you. He'll be listening if you need someone to talk to and he…told you to carry on his legacy. That you should be the next Hokage, because he trusts you more than anyone to take care of this Village." Suddenly, reality came crashing down on Sakura like a tidal wave, just as the rain started to light up. Her vision blurred, her head spun and she was ready to puke. She snapped her head down to the lifeless body next to her. The body that she had only seen with so much life was now empty and gone.

"Naruto…" She gasped out, her throat closing up and her heart beating so fast, it was ready to explode. She wanted to touch him, to shake him and order him back to life, but she knew that it wouldn't work. No matter what she would do, Naruto Uzumaki was dead and gone. So far gone, Tsunade couldn't even bring him back. Sasuke hacking up blood disrupted her thoughts and she looked back at him. He was alive. He was able to be saved. Naruto would want that. He would want her to save Sasuke. He would want her to be the best Medical Ninja ever and she would. And if he wanted her to be Hokage, then she would. No matter what.

Sakura tried to fight the tears that gathered in her eyes, but she couldn't. The will to cry was too strong. They cascaded down her face like they had so many times before, but nothing was like this. She had never cried like this. The clouds cleared faster than she thought and the sun peeked out shyly, dousing Team Seven in a clear light, brightening the puddles that had filled on the bloodied road. Now that there was no more rain to wash away the blood, it started to pile up. Sasuke held his chest and Sakura grabbed Naruto's cold, hard hand and leaned her head on Sasuke's shoulder, gripping the other in her free hand tightly.

"I'll take care of you." She cried to him, sobbing hard and clenching her teeth. "We've…we've got to go to the Hospital and…I'll heal you Sasuke. Just please…" She felt like she was recalling the words she begged him the night he was leaving the Village. Back then, Sakura had thought she couldn't live without Sasuke. But no, this time she _knew_ she couldn't live without him. She would fight for him if someone tried to execute him for his crimes, she would do anything she could for him, because she needed him now. She refused to be the last surviving member of Team Seven. "Please don't leave me Sasuke." Sakura cried. "Please hang on." Sasuke spat some blood out his mouth, breathing raggedly, but he looked at her, then leaned his forehead on her head.

"I won't. I will." Once, Sasuke would of refused Sakura's plea immediately, but now…all he could think about was Naruto and how they had almost been here, to the Village. He had collapsed thirty miles back, bloodied and beaten, by Sasuke's own hands, and carrying Sasuke who was pretty near death himself, unable to fight Naruto. Sasuke, knowing that Naruto was breathing his lasts breathes, had started to panic. But Naruto had reassured him that it was fine and started talking. He still remembered Naruto grabbing his ripped shirt and staring at him, dazed.

"_Ya know how people say…where your heart is, there will also be your home…?…" Sasuke decided not to correct the blonde and tell him that the saying went 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' "Well…there's a reason you can't care anymore Sasuke…you…you left your heart back at Konaha…" Naruto coughed, spitting up blood. "And…that will always be your home…so…" His blue eyes pierced into Sasuke's black ones. "So go back to your heart Sasuke. Go home." _

And Sasuke would. He would go home and stay there, living under house arrest, doing community service, serving time in jail, whatever it was that he had to do to live up to his punishments. And at Naruto's funeral, which he would beg to be the one who could deliver a eulogy, he would address it to his 'Friend, Who Burned with the Will of Fire.' And just for kicks, he would ask the quote that got written on Naruto's tomb stone be: _'Where your heart is, there will also be your home.'_


End file.
